Explore the vibrant world of idioms that intricately describe knowledge. In this post, we uncover 20 colorful expressions that encapsulate the essence of learning and understanding in unique ways. Dive into each idiom to discover its meaning and see it in action through succinct examples.
Idioms That Describe Knowledge
1. An old head on young shoulders
Meaning: Wise beyond one’s years
Example: She’s only ten but has an old head on young shoulders.
2. Book smarts
Meaning: Knowledge from formal education
Example: He’s got book smarts but lacks street sense.
3. Bright as a button
Meaning: Very intelligent and quick to understand
Example: She’s bright as a button in all her subjects.
4. Burn the midnight oil
Meaning: Study or work late into the night
Example: He’s burning the midnight oil for exams.
5. Common knowledge
Meaning: Known by most people
Example: It’s common knowledge she’s top of her class.
6. Hit the books
Meaning: Start studying hard
Example: It’s finals week; time to hit the books.
7. In the know
Meaning: Well informed
Example: She’s always in the know about new tech.
8. Know the ropes
Meaning: Understand the details
Example: He knows the ropes of complex coding.
9. Learn the ropes
Meaning: Acquire basic knowledge or skills
Example: I’m still learning the ropes at my new job.
10. Leave no stone unturned
Meaning: Thoroughly searching or investigating
Example: She left no stone unturned in her research.
11. Master of none
Meaning: Skilled at many things but not an expert
Example: Jack of all trades, master of none.
12. On the tip of one’s tongue
Meaning: Almost able to recall or say something
Example: The answer is on the tip of my tongue!
13. Quick on the uptake
Meaning: Fast to understand or learn something
Example: He’s quick on the uptake with puzzles.
14. School of hard knocks
Meaning: Learning from real-life experiences
Example: Life’s his school of hard knocks.
15. Sharpen the saw
Meaning: Continually improving one’s skills
Example: She sharpens the saw with daily reading.
16. Teach an old dog new tricks
Meaning: Learn something new later in life
Example: Can you teach an old dog new tricks?
17. The penny drops
Meaning: Finally understand something
Example: At last, the penny drops in calculus!
18. Think outside the box
Meaning: Think creatively or unconventionally
Example: He thinks outside the box in marketing.
19. Well-read
Meaning: Knowledgeable from reading a lot
Example: He’s well-read in medieval history.
20. Wise beyond years
Meaning: Exceptionally wise for one’s age
Example: She’s wise beyond her years in ethics.
